'Lion King': Disney Unveils JawDropping First Footage

The studio also offer offered a glimpse of Tim Burton's 'Dumbo' reimagining and announced a release date for the live-action 'Nutcracker and the Four Realms.'A crowd of an estimated 7,000 went absolutely wild at D23 as Disney previewed the first clip from its live-action remake of The Lion King.Exclusively screened for attendees and not simultaneously released online, the footage featured jaw-dropping photoreal shots of African landscapes, many types of animals (including elephants and, of course, lions), and ended with the iconic moment in which Rafiki introduces an adorable young Simba on Pride Rock, as "Circle of Life" played."We love this movie and we are working hard," said director Jon Favreau, fresh off directing The Jungle Book. He's making Lion King (scheduled for a July 19, 2019 release) in Los Angeles, again using virtual production techniques by reteaming with Jungle Book’s Oscar winning VFX supervisor Rob Legato and lead VFX house MPC.